———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts

Season 03, Episode 07

By Thomas Typewriter
(c) 2020

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FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom center of the screen, the following text scrolls upward: “03-07”. It moves up the center of the frame eventually exiting the top center of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN IN THE UNDECORATED SPACE

THE CAMERA, CURRENTLY THE POV OF THE OUTER ONE, LOOKS TOWARDS THE WOODEN DISC.

In a room of undiscernible size, THE OUTER ONE sits on a one of many grey squares of carpet arraigned around a wooden disc. The disc currently stands empty. Some of the spindly metallic lamps at the ends of the carpet rows cast a faint light on the wooden disc.

POV OF OUTER ONE AS THEY BRING UP THEIR HANDS.

A right hand comes into view, the flesh of its fingers and thumbs replaced by scrolling lines of blue abstract text. The Other One’s left hand comes into view. It rubs the right hand as if in pain. After a few moments, the sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING sounds out from the wooden disc.

POV OF OUTER ONE SHIFTING GAZE FROM HANDS TO THE WOODEN STAGE.

Unseen lamps over the wooden disc turn on. THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE instantly materializes.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

THE POV PANS INWARD TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS INWARD TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING IT.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains open and the stage lights turn on with the CLICK OF A LIGHT SWITCH, revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THE MANY FACETS JEWELRY STORE SHOWROOM, DAYTIME

EXTREME CS OF A SPINNING DIAMOND

A giant spinning diamond fills the frame, sunlight glittering of its multiple orthogonals.

PAN OUT

The spinning diamond is one of the two spinning diamond displays seen in the window of the The Many Facets jewelry store last episode. As the camera pans out we see more of the interior of the Many Facets. A long glass case runs across the stage. A taller glass case sits on top of the counter. Additionally a smaller display case hangs on the wall behind the counter. A doorway and two large glass windows sit off to the stage-left side. A spinning diamond can be seen in each window. A wide variety of styles of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings can be seen in the display cases.

The Many Facets’ two daystaffers, JEROME SALAMANDER and HENNY NETPENNTY, stand behind the counter. Jerome wipes off the glass while Henney puts necklaces away in the display case. OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE and THOMAS TYPEWRITER enter from stage-right through the glass doors.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Sorry I let the door close on you. I get distracted sometimes.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“It’s fine.”

JEROME SALAMANDER
(to Ophidia and Thomas) “Hello.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hi”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Hi”

JEROME SALAMANDER
“Feel free to look around. I’ll be with you in a moment”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER AND OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Okay.”

Thomas and Ophidia lean over and start to look at the rings in the nearest counter top display. Jerome picks up his cleaning supplies and sets them down behind the counter near the stage-left side. He walks back. Pausing next to Henny, he leans over and whispers something to her. She nods and then hands him a golden feather keyring filled with many keys. He approaches Thomas and Ophidia at the end of the counter.

JEROME SALAMANDER
“Now then, how may I help you.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“We’re looking for an engagement ring.”

JEROME SALAMANDER
“We’ll that I can help you with. Was there a particular style you were looking for.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“What do you have?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Correction, what do you have for someone on an artist’s budget?”

JEROME SALAMANDER
“Sir, we have something for all budgets and all tastes. We pride ourselves on making a ring, no matter who you are or where you come from, as special as she is.”

Beaming, Ophidia puts her arm around Thomas. He hugs her back returning her smile. Jerome unlocks the display case and leans over to reach inside. He retrieves a velvety case of rings. He sets the case on the counter.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE.

THE CAMERA STARTS TO PAN UPWARD. IT MOVES STRAIGHT UP PAST THE TOP EDGES OF THE MID-STAGE SET, BRINGING THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS THAT SERVES AS THE BACK OF THE STAGE INTO VIEW. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN UPWARDS TO THE TOP WHERE THE HIGH-STAGE SITS. IT STOPS WHEN FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: BLANK SCREEN

The High-stage curtains are already open when it comes into frame. The stage is dark, like a turned off television. The Narrator’s Door is open and Y-Mouse is sitting on the edge of the Narrator’s Platform. He dangles his feet over the edge while taking a sip of soda. He places the soda down and holds up a remote control. CLICK goes the remote. The High-stage, like a vintage television, shifts from opaque to bright static.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO LOCAL CHANNELS

ZOOM IN SO THE STATIC BRIGHTNESS FILLS THE FRAME

The channel number 3, in green pixels, blinks in the upper right corner of the screen. The CLICK OF A REMOTE can be heard from off-stage ten times as Y-Mouse uses the remote off-screen to change from Channel 3 to Channel 4. The new channel appears with a station ID card of an image of a dog in a dog-house style race car on a red and white background.

KAV BARITONE, CHANNEL 4 MID-DAY ANNOUNCER
(off-screen) “…Channel 4, the Dog Race, broadcasting to the Nines and more. Up next: Buck and Duck In The 31st Century City. But first these words from our sponsors…”

FADE OUT

TRANSITION FROM STATION ID TO COMMERCIALS

FADE IN

FIRST COMMERCIAL – ELEGANT DINING TABLE, DAYTIME.

BLACK AND WHITE CS OF THE AQUILLA

An electronic device, THE AQUILLA, made of two connected glass hexagons sits on a white tablecloth. A place setting for a fancy meal surrounds it, as if it is has taken the place of the plate.

THE SCREEN GLITCHES.

A hand wearing a black glove covered in gold filigree is now in the frame. It holds a magnifying glass also covered in gold filigree. The gloved hand sets down the magnifying glass. It runs a finger across one of the sides of the Aquilla. The device’s screen flickers then the “By Jove’s” company logo appears followed by The Frame’s logo. The home screen comes up. The black-gloved hand presses the screen opening a note taking app: SCREEN’NOGRAPHER. The hand outstretches a finger and writes the following in the app: “Can you see?”

A drop falls down on the table, landing on the black gloved hand. The screen glitches again and the black gloved hand along with it’s magnifying glass is gone. A rainbow variety of drops of colors fall down on the Frame and the rest of the table. Multi-colors swirl across the scene.

THE CAMERA PANS DOWN AND OVER TO WHERE THE COLORS START TO RUN TOGETHER

Words, in a blocky serif-free font, start to form in the swirling mingling colors. “THE AQUILLA” which changes to “VERSION 10” before finally changing to “SOON”.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

SECOND COMMERCIAL – INT. ONE OF THE GOOD NEIGHBORS BAR & PUB RESTAURANTS. EARLY EVENING

MS FROM BEHIND THE BAR LOOKING OUT AT THE PATRONS

The work crowd has just come one of the Underhills’ most popular franchise bar & pub. It is a busy evening with plenty of mostly Clockwork Elves and mostly Bio-goblins looking to relax after a hard days work at the various Factories, Administrations and Marginalia of the various Hills, Palaces and Places of Interest.

THE SCREEN GLITCHES.

In the back stage-left corner, at a tall table, we now see three individuals different than the Bio-goblins and Clockwork Elves: THE SLASHBUCKLER, THE WORDSLINGER, and THE HEIRESS. The Slashbuckler is a slender woman in a swashbuckler’s large black hat and long black coat, both covered in gold filigree. Next to her The Wordslinger, a man in an immaculate white suit covered in brass filigree, wearing two gunslinger bandoleers holding paperback books. Next to him stands the Heiress. She is a tall women in a black 50’s cocktail dress and black pillbox hat both covered in silver filigree, holding a fennec fox wearing a matching pillbox hat. The three look around the room and out at the camera.

THE SCREEN GLITCHES AGAIN.

They are gone. FRIENDLY EMPLOYEE, portrayed by the mostly Bio-Goblin character actor BRUISER WULFETEETHS, pushes through the crowd to approach the bar. He loosens his tie as he approaches.

FRIENDLY EMPLOYEE
“Bartender, a glass of your worst.”

An off-screen hand places a glass of a foul looking liquid on the counter. Friendly Employee picks up the glass and takes a sip.

FRIENDLY EMPLOYEE
“AHHHH…the best part of the work day (notices someone to his side)…Oh hey, didn’t see you there.”

CUT TO SHOT FROM HIS RIGHT, FROM THE POV OF THE PERSON HE NOTICED

FRIENDLY EMPLOYEE
“How have you been? Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Had a bit of a rough time myself last year too, but things got better. What happened? I got hired at the Bulb Factory that’s what. Oh, don’t make that face. It’s good work and they know how to treat their employees…”

From off-screen we hear a BEEP.

TRANSITION FROM COMMERCIAL BREAK TO HIGH-STAGE

ABRUPT CUT TO FRAMING SHOT OF HIGH-STAGE

HIGH-STAGE: INT. ROOM 304 OF THE MEDICALSHIP THE FLUTE

Y-Mouse is leaning forward, intently looking at the Medi-pods. One of the Medi-pod’s top lights has changed from red to blinking green.

INSERT CS OF Y-MOUSE’S FACE

Y-MOUSE
(to the camera) “Almost time now.”

REVERT BACK

Y-Mouse stands and stretches. He uses the remote to CLICK off the Vid-screen. He presses the remote a second time to cause the stage-lights to CLICK off. He picks up the tray and exits through the Narrator’s Door. It closes behind him. The lights on top of the Medi-pods continue to glow in the darkness of the unilluminated stage. BEEP. A second Medi-pod has one of its top lights shift from red to blinking green. The third Medi-pod shortly follows after, BEEP and a red light changes to blinking green. The High-stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD, IT MOVES DOWN ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, UP OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, FINALLY SETTLING WHEN FRAMING THE MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THE MANY FACETS JEWELRY SHOWROOM, DAYTIME

THOMAS TYPEWRITER and OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE continue their conversation with JEROME SALAMANDER at the end of the jewelry counter. HENNY NETPENNTY is no longer on-stage, having gone to take inventory in the back.

JEROME SALAMANDER
“Very excellent choice. We can have that ready for you next week. Will you be paying for all of it now or putting down a deposit.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“All of it now, if that is alright.”

JEROME SALAMANDER
“That is fine.”

Thomas pulls out his wallet and hands a card to the Salesman. Jerome takes the card and walks off stage-right. Ophidia excitedly grabs Thomas’ arm and leans in to whisper.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“It’s really happening. We’re getting married! I can’t believe it.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I know.”

Ophidia’s stomach grumbles. She looks mortified.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Was that your stomach?”

OPHIDIA
“Yes…I’m so embarrassed. Sorry.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“No it’s fine. At least the salesman wasn’t here. Now that would be embarrassing.”

Ophidia blushes.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Want should get something to eat after this?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Yes.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Where would you like to go?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Skolnic’s Ice Cream Deli”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Skolnic’s Ice Cream Deli it is.”

Jerome Salamander returns and returns Thomas’ credit card.

JEROME SALAMANDER
“The ring will be ready by next Thursday. Anything else I can do for you.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“No, that is all of it. You’ve been very helpful.”

JEROME SALAMANDER
“Glad I could. Have a great day,…and congratulations on the engagement.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Thank you”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thank you.”

Thomas and Ophidia exit stage-left through the store’s front doors. As they leave, Jerome Salamander fills out some forms for the ring order. The stage-lights turn of to the CLICK OF A LIGHT SWITCH. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT